


May Parker Doesn't Like The News

by LadyBubs125



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Genre: Ben Parker Dies, Family, I Larb May Parker, Larb, May Parker Appreciation, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Precious Peter Parker, Protective May Parker (Spider-Man), Tony Stark Has A Heart, Worried May Parker (Spider-Man), but not very graphic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-28
Updated: 2018-12-28
Packaged: 2019-09-28 21:56:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,057
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17191028
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyBubs125/pseuds/LadyBubs125
Summary: May Parker's life spanning from Ben Parker's death and learning a secret that may tear her apart.





	May Parker Doesn't Like The News

  May Parker used to like the news. She used to enjoy staying on top of things, something she had to quickly learn to do once Peter came to live with her and Ben. Watching the news seemed to send her into a sense of control and knowledge, as if she could answer any question thrown at her, except Peter’s, seriously what was articulated manipulators and why did he need one?

  Then Ben was murdered. Peter spent all his time in his room wallowing. May was all alone. Now the news was plastered with Peter’s and Ben’s faces. News reports like _“The murderer is yet to be found”_ and _“We send the family our condolences.”_

  May hated the attention. The flowers, the cards, and the pity. Sometimes if she had a quiet moment, she could pretend that Peter was building another device and that Ben was on a business trip. That’s why Peter wouldn’t speak to her. That’s why his side of the bed was cold.

  But they got through it, the funeral came and went. It wasn’t what he would’ve wanted, they didn’t have that kind of money. But it was enough for them. Soon, Peter became more talkative, starting with calculated sentences but soon morphing into the relentless chatter she’d come to melt into.

  Then Spider-man swung into the scene. Literally. In a badly sewn costume, trying to save people. The mother side of her wanted him to stop, to protect him. But a selfish side of her, a side she chooses to hide, wishes he came earlier so he could have saved Ben. But she'd shake those thoughts away, _"What's done is done."_ She'd think bitterly

  Next Tony Stark showed up at her door, congratulating Peter about the September Fund. Peter did stand opening his mouth like a fish, but May put that down to the surprise of winning. Tony whisked Peter off to his bedroom for a private chat, leaving May on her own.

  May was proud of him. She was proud of his curiosity, his intelligence. The way he inhaled knowledge and applied it to all his projects. She wanted to support him as much as possible. So she let him have the internship, though she feared him burning out.

  But money was getting tighter and Peter was losing all his school bags. May wondered if he was getting bullied, but surely if he was, he’d tell her… right? Never the less, she took on extra shifts. And tried to save and budget. It wasn’t easy with her atrocious cooking, but she made it work. She just wanted more time with Peter. She could feel them growing further apart, evidenced by the tension in the restaurant. She couldn’t get him to focus, even with larb.

  Then her fears were confirmed when she got that call about him leaving detention. He’s rebelling, he’s struggling, and she didn’t know what to do. So, she turned on the news longing for that old feeling of control and understanding. But instead, she got news of a ferry falling apart. And the accused culprit, Spider-man. All she wanted now was to know Peter was safe. So she called.

  _“Hi, you’ve reached my voicemail, I’ll call you back as soon as I can.”_

  His voice was cheery, a stark contrast to how she felt right now. Oh god, what if he was in danger? She isn’t there to protect him.

  She left message after message. It was a long time before Peter arrived, – too long – May had a whole speech prepared for him, but then he uttered the words,

  _“I lost the internship…”_

  She felt everything melt away, the angry, fear and frustration of the last eternity. She pulled him into a hug and soothingly rubbed his back. She didn’t shout at him. She didn’t try to move. She just tried to comfort him in the best way she knew how.

  Just like everything that had happened before, they kept going. Peter got a date to Homecoming. May taught him to dance. May taught him how to tie a tie. May dropped him off at Liz’s house.

  Once she got home, she sat down, just _sat._ She didn’t know what to do. She barely ever had any time to herself. She decided to sort through Ben’s stuff, she’d heard it was good for moving on.

  It was around 2 hours and after three tissue boxes when May decided she was done. It was too difficult, too many memories shouldn't just get thrown away. May turned on the news, wondering what was happening.

  Coney Island was on fire. A Stark plane had crashed into the island.

  May's mind instantly replayed the memories that she'd remembered earlier in the evening, the days of visiting the island and joyous laughter. _Peter._ May dived for her phone, then furiously tapped towards Peter’s contact.

  _“Hello,”_ May breathed a sigh of relief, _“May? Are you ok?”_

  _“_ Yeah… Erm… I just saw the news and thought I’d check on you,” May could hear some rustling on the other end followed by a grimace, “Peter?”

  _“Sorry, just… em… stubbed my toe? Yeah anyway, while you’re here, can I stay the night at Ned’s?”_ Peter asked

  After the night May had, she didn’t want to be alone. “Yeah sure, just message me in the morning when you want to be picked up.”

  _“Thanks.”_ Peter replied, the line went silent for a few moments, “ _Hey May? I larb you.”_ May laughed, a true laugh that she could feel in her stomach,

  “I larb you too.” She laughed, then the line cut. But the feeling didn’t. She felt it when she brushed her teeth and when she drifted off into a joy-filled dream.

  It was a few months later when May found out the truth. When she found out Peter was Spider-Man. There was shouting, stress and maybe some swears were thrown in too.

  But here they sat in the aftermath, cuddled on the couch contemplating the next steps. May had long forgotten the idea of stopping him. Why should she? He was doing something amazing. He was saving others from what they couldn’t save themselves from. She was proud of him. More so now than ever.

  May Parker still doesn’t like the news. But there is a tiny slither of pride when she sees Spider-Man swinging across the screen.

**Author's Note:**

> I just really like May Parker. She's amazing.


End file.
